Angel Reese Jaws at Sabrina Ionescu in Heated Dream vs Liberty Exchange

Atlanta Dream star forward Angel Reese took exception to a screen that New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu set during Friday's WNBA Semifinals Game 3 showdown between the two teams.

Ionescu set a hard screen on Dream guard Isobel Borlase in the second quarter that clearly had a shove at the end. Ionescu, who has been criticized for her performance in this series and throughout the season more broadly, had been shoved by Borlase when playing defense on the Dream's previous possession. But no foul was called, which made Ionescu's shove right after seem like retaliation.

Ionescu received a foul for her hard screen on Borlase. Reese was down near the block but ran right over to Ionescu to defend her teammate. Angel could be seen saying, "You can't do that! repeatedly in Ionescu's ear as she walked back down the court. Rhyne Howard got in between them and pushed Ionescu to get her away from Reese, which Ionescu took exception to.

Several other players stepped in at that point to separate both parties. Ionescu began walking back to her bench with Reese still jawing at her, before Reese was pulled away by her teammate, DeWanna Bonner.

The whole time, Rebecca Lobo was on the ESPN broadcast saying that Reese should have received a technical foul for how she responded to what Ionescu did. But Reese wasn't called for a technical.

Angel Reese and Sabrina Ionescu exchange words as things start to get chippy! #WNBA pic.twitter.com/Nz2tnu67gq
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 10, 2026

Reese and Liberty center Jonquel Jones had another exchange shortly after this one, which resulted in both of them getting technical fouls. Jones blocked one of Reese's shots and stared her down in her face afterwards, which Reese took exception to.

Angel Reese x Jonquel Jones pic.twitter.com/LO5honEBlv
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 10, 2026

Sabrina Ionescu and Angel Reese Were Not in the Wrong During Exchange

Tensions and emotions run high during playoff games, and this exchange between these two stars served as proof of that.

Ionescu was clearly frustrated about not getting the foul call on the previous possession. Perhaps she didn't need to shove Borlase so hard on the screen — especially since it cost her team a possession in a win-or-go-home game — but the play was not overly malicious. And Ionescu appeared keen to move on right after it happened.

And Reese stood up for her teammate. She didn't do anything physical to Ionescu that would have put her status in jeopardy, instead making her opinion about the play known verbally.

Perhaps Reese should have received a technical for her response, as Rebecca Lobo clearly believed. But the bottom line is that this was a competitive moment between great competitors, and cooler heads ultimately prevailed before things got out of hand.

Now the question is whether Reese's Dream or Ionescu's Liberty will get the last laugh, both during Game 3 on Friday night and at the end of this series.

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